In May 2005, Kurokoboshi took a break from his busy days in Tokyo to film a movie in Bang Pong, Thailand. The following is an excerpt from the Tokyo-dwelling American expatriate’s thoughts on making films in the interior of Thailand.

prequel

I had the chance to act in a Japanese movie called Habu to Genkotsu that was being filmed in the countryside of Thailand. It all started with a phone call from my friend Schon. He received an offer to make a movie in Thailand, but he couldn’t accept it. He wanted to know if I was interested. Always ready to add another chapter to the story of my life, I accepted. I had never been to Thailand. I had heard many stories about Thailand and experienced many situations vicariously through friends, and now it was time to share my experiences.

Before I left I met the directors, producers and screenwriters of the film in which I was going to appear. I was shocked by what I heard. The film is based on a true story about an Okinawan sansen (3-string guitar) player named Ryo and his experiences growing up in Okinawa in 1968. Ryo meets a US military soldier named George and they discover that they have more similarities than differences. . The film’s atmosphere is heavily charged with discrimination and prejudice: Okinawan and Japanese (yes, there is a difference, a big difference, in fact), American and Japanese/Okinawan military, officers and enlisted soldiers, and it plays out with echoes of the civil rights. persistent movement in the backdrop. I finished my performance on the Joint One radio show on Monday as Kurokobushi and had three days before filming to figure out who this George was and travel back in time to 1968.

Day 1

I left my house at 7 am for Narita airport, just before the morning rush hour. I had my last bite of Japanese food for two weeks, boarded Thai Airlines flight #647 and arrived in Thailand. Airports can be very tricky. They make you think that everything is fine and then you enter the real world. Outside the airport I saw my first glimpse of Japanese capitalism, a Family Mart (convenience store) and added that to the glimpse of American capitalism (KFC) I mentioned earlier. Paul (our driver) arrived in a mega van and headed to the hotel in Bang Pong, our filming location. Paul spoke a little English so I coached him to give him some tips on Thai. We got to the hotel about two hours later and I had dinner with the actors. Everyone was great, especially Shogen (who plays the role of Ryo) and Mitsuki. The hotel room had HBO Asia, but I needed internet access to see if the Spurs won game 7.

Day 2

I got up early and went for a walk in the morning. Traffic in Thailand is like a free-for-all, with low lights and shades of scooters. I had breakfast at the hotel and in the afternoon I went to one of the locations where the actors Mitsuki, Shogen, Ishida Eri and Sai were filming. I couldn’t believe how much rural Thailand reminded me of my grandmother’s farm in South Carolina. In fact, time has stopped in some places. I did the traditional aisatsu (Japanese greeting, bowing, and small talk) with the directors and all the staff. Greetings are very important in Japan because they communicate humility and respect. Things are on a hierarchical scale, so I had to root for the big shots. I took charge of my responsibilities.

Day 3

One of the filming locations had very bad karma. In a room in the house, the owner kept helmets of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War. Needless to say, everyone filming in that room felt sick and kanashibari (feeling of being tied up or being held back, but you can’t see what’s holding you back). I put our police protection, a definite necessity when you are in rural Thailand. He was very helpful and even allowed cast members to ride his motorcycle. Kai showed me where the internet cafe was, I was finally able to reconnect with the world and find out who won the NBA championship. We stayed in the internet cafe for 3 hours and it cost 45 cents. And the Spurs won, life is good.

day 5

I rehearsed my first scene with Shogen and the director really liked it. But there was a little problem, George smokes and I don’t. It’s funny because Shogen didn’t smoke before the movie either, but throughout the day I see him smoking more and more. I practiced all night, trying to figure out how George would hold his cigarette. Maybe old school like Billy Dee in Lady Sings the Blues, long puffs with that perfect blend of sophistication and class; or like Larenz Tate in Love Jones, where the cigarette never leaves the mouth. It just hangs like a conductor’s baton moving in sync with every word. I don’t have it. Denzel Washington in Devil in Blue Dress, a southern beat, not too slow and not too fast.

day 7

We got back to the hotel and everyone wanted to have lunch at the open market near our shooting location. This was my first time visiting an open market and I had no idea what to expect. My only images of open markets were old school James Bond movies. The reality was a little different. Now, I consider myself a brave person, but the open market was too much. I try to eat as little meat as possible and this situation was strictly unsanitary. Important note: I was a member of the lucky few who did not have any major stomach aches during the trip. I passed lunch and went in search of fruit. I found a fruit juice stand and ordered a watermelon juice (leave the flies and bees). Here’s another little tip, watch the seller. He put ajinomoto (MSG) in my fruit juice. Yes, there was also an incident at the hotel where they put salt in the orange juice. It is better to ask before ordering.

day 8

It’s George’s debut and I get up early to have breakfast at the hotel. The staff was nice and helped me with my Thai. Check out time was 10 am. We were the third of 4 scenes that were shot. When we got to the location, Ishida Eri was finishing her scene and everyone was getting ready for the second scene. I practiced my lines with Shogen and became George. It’s a bit strange, but the entire film crew calls you by your character’s name, not your real name. We had lunch after the second scene and I got ready for my debut. The assistant director announced my appearance on the set. I felt like royalty. We did a couple of rehearsals and then it was time for honban (recording).

day 11

Another sunrise in Thailand and a new challenge. This time me and 5 cast members are going to see the bridge over the river Kwaii, the bridge not the movie. I learned a lot about the Vietnam War and World War II during the trip. For the record, the place is an official tourist trap. The bridge was a bit disappointing, but very scary. There are no sidewalks on the bridge, only railroad ties and tracks. People and trains cross the bridge at the same time. It is the survival of the fit test. As for the bridge itself, I expected something bigger, as a child I visited Royal Gorge and got acquainted with Japan Rainbow Bridge and Bay Bridge in Japan. This was relatively small. Strangely, we never crossed the bridge; we took some photos, saw some foreigners, bought some souvenirs and prayed for peace.

day 14

The time has come for me to go. Shooting was over and the production lights were out. The two weeks in Thailand went by too quickly, but I had a wonderful time. The people were friendly and the scenery was fantastic. Thailand is a melting pot of different religions and the traffic is insane. Here’s a little inside information from me for you. The real name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthrayutthaya Maha Dilokphop Nophrarat Ratchathani Burir On Udom Batchaniwet Maha Sathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. It means that the city is big like the city of angels, the city houses the emerald Buddha and…

keep growing,

kbb